Pushing it
by pyroJoe
Summary: What happens when Soda and Pony push Darry to far. Spanking probably will be in the story so if the offends you, you might not want to read it.
1. Chapter 1

Darry's P.O.V

I kept my eyes on the road. I didn't want to see how fast I was going but I knew I was going pretty fast. It was two am and they were supposed to be asleep. ASLEEP AND GROUNDED! I thought they were until I got the call from the police. Two o'clock in the damn morning and it was only the second day of spring break. I slowed down a bit pulled into the police station. Breathing in and out to calm myself as I had walked in the doors. There they were; Soda looked at me and then quickly looked at his feet guilty. Pony was slumped down chewing his nail. A cop came out and waved me in his office. I walked past them not even bothering to look at them.

"Take a seat." He said gesturing to a chair.

I took a deep breath and sat down. "Look sir.." I began but he cut me off by putting his hand up.

"In my line of work I see kids a lot of kids like you're brothers. Good kids who get mixed up. I'm letting them off but not because they are good kids because I shot their friend dead. A kid I believe if his parents were to care a little about him and maybe gave him a firm hand when needed; he wouldn't be robbing stores, in and out of jive and dead, shot because he was waving and unloaded gun around. Look I know they've had a hard year. I live with those images of the little one falling to the ground everyday. I'm sure that's half the reason their on that bench out there. They are off this time because I'm in here but putting Vaseline and slashing tires at two am with the Shepherd kids isn't going to fly with anyone else around here. The social services will be called next time. I can't guarantee you will see them ever again after that. They aren't tough; bad kids putting them in social services would kill them"

I couldn't speak. I was face to face with the man who shot down Dally but I could feel my face redden when he told me the Shepherds were involved. "The Shepherd kids weren't out on the bench?"

"Well they have some other stuff to work out that doesn't involve me." He said.

I nodded. "Thank you."

He nodded this time. "Just make sure they aren't in here ever again."

I walked out to the lobby and saw Steve's Dad yank him up.

"You're gonna get it this time. I'm really sick of this bull Steve! You're back side boy is going to be black and blue for a month!"

Soda shot Steve a sympathetic look. Steve just rolled his eyes in return.

"That doesn't sound like a half bad idea." I said pulling Soda and Pony up by their arms.

"Darry we are really sorry." Soda said quietly.

I stopped walking and turn him around and looked at him straight in the eyes for the first time that night. "Not as much as you're going to be."

On the way home I gripped the steering wheel so hard that my knuckles went white and my fingers were aching. It was silent the whole way home you could have heard a pin drop. I could feel Pony's stiffness as he nervously bit his nails. I swear he wasn't going to have any left. We pulled into the drive way. "Get out and take a seat in the living room. NOW!" I hollered.

I followed them into the house and shut the door. I turned around they were both sitting on the couch like two five year olds who got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. That's when it hit me. They crossed the line. If it would have been another officer. They would have been sitting at the social service offices waiting to go to some boys home or worse they would be in jail.

"We didn't mean to." Pony said. He sounded a lot tougher than he was looking.

"DIDN'T MEAN TO WHAT? huh Ponyboy? Didn't mean to get caught? Didn't think I would find out you snuck out of the house. I guess you didn't think I would find out last week when you went to Bucks with the Shepherds and got into a damn bar fight but I did. And both of you were supposed to be grounded to this house for a week and curfew at eleven for the next two. I've told you both not go near the Shepherds. Do you two realize you only didn't get in trouble with the police because the cop that picked you up was the one who shot Dally?"

Both their heads shot up like lightening with wide eyes.

"Well that's the truth! If that would have been anyone else you guys wouldn't be here. I'm not doing this boys! I'm not letting the social services pick you up! You two aren't going to go and get yourselves in jail it's not happening. I'm sick of you two disobeying me! I don't know what it's going to take to make it stick to you that I'm serious. Grounding isn't working." I looked at both of them.

"Soda I want you back in your own room. Pony in yours. I'll talk to you guys each in a minute and I swear if either of you are gone from your room. When I find out you'll regret leaving for the rest of your life. I warned.

They both looked at each other but didn't move.

"Darry we share a room." Soda finally spoke up.

"Your old room Sodapop', go there." I told him firmly.

They both looked like they wanted to protest or something but neither of them had the guts to test me right now. So they went. I walked into my own room sat down at my desk and buried my face in my hands. What was I going to do? Grounding and chores had no affect on them; screaming only scared them for a second but I didn't want them scared. "Mom, Dad help me." I said out loud.

I looked up at the ceiling as if they were just going to appear and tell me how to handle this. They didn't of course and I got up and lay on my bed. They really crossed that line. How was I supposed to trust them when they are sneaking out? Putting Vaseline on people's windshields and steering wheels could kill someone. Slashing tires was illegal and could kill someone. I knew it was the Shepherds influence but it didn't matter. They had a choice and I was sick and tired of this crap and it scared to death that I was walking on thin ice one more step and I would have lost them. They needed to understand that they weren't going to wild. I wasn't losing them.

I looked over at the clock but something else caught my eye. My belt was thrown on my nightstand. I thought about what Steve's Dad said about him being black and blue. He wouldn't thou; Steve was going to be on my couch by morning probably. I thought about Johnny but this wasn't like that. I wasn't beating them. Johnny never did anything to deserve a whipping either. Nothing else was working. They have pushed me to far and they crossed a line. I rolled off the bed and picked up the belt. I guess I would have to talk to Soda first.

What do you guys think? Should I continue or delete it? This will be short; I got the idea from a reviewer from one of my other fan fics.


	2. Chapter 2

I didn't even get to Soda's door before I turned around and walked back into my room. I sat down on the bed and wondered if I really wanted to do this. Pain for punishment just sounded wrong. I was going to be responsible for taking away Soda's smile and if cried. I hate it when he cries. And Pony; Pony was completely different scenario. He was convinced for a while there that I hated him but I love him to death and back. I had also hit him before when I was angry. What if he ran away again? What if he hated me? I was at lost with what to do. I remembered the cop telling me to make sure they are never back on the bench again and pushed my second thoughts out of the way. I picked the belt up and walked into Soda's room.

"Sodapop, we have to talk." I kept my voice firm.

"I know." I watched his eyes grown wide as he focused on the belt in my hand and then looked up at me.

"Now, you listen to me Sodapop. We made an agreement that you would stay out of trouble. Lately you haven't been doing that and tonight do you realize you could have gone to jail for vandalism?

He nodded. "Darry I know it was wrong."

"Well that's good but you also lied to me tonight. You told me you were in bed. You weren't. You snuck out Sodapop. You lost my trust."

Soda looked like he was about to cry. He starred down at his feet. I reached over and lifted his head up and looked at him.

"You are Pony's greatest influence. Is this the example you want to set for him?"

"No." Soda answered in small voice.

"You can't keep acting like this. You will not turn into some hood. You are going to start listening to me. My rules aren't to be mean. They are meant for your safety and so you won't get hauled away. When I say stay away from Bucks, the Shepereard and stay out of trouble I mean it! If you don't like my rules then when you turn eighteen you can get out but I wouldn't suggest that. I won't let you end up in jail at any age. Do I make myself clear?" I asked letting go of his face.

Soda nodded. "You aren't really going to take the strap to me are you?"

"Yeah little buddy I am. I can't let this go on any longer." I said getting up and placing my foot on the railing of the bed. "Let's just make this easy."

"Darry; I'm seventeen. That's a little to old for a spanking don't you think?"

"Sodapop Patrick right now I really don't care if you seventeen, twenty seven or seven. You need to come over here because if you keep on fighting me it's going to get worse on your part not mine. So what's it going to be easy or worse? You're choice." I wasn't yelling but there was a lot of authority in my voice. He was a smart kid. He slowly got up and came toward me. When he was in my reached I grabbed him flipping him over my knee and keeping him there. By the time I reached five swats he started crying hard but I just kept going until I got to seventeen. I realsed him he was bawling now. I didn't even have time to put my foot on the ground before I felt him shaking from crying against me. I steadied myself and wrapped my arms around him. He was talking but it was muffled in my neck.

"What was that little buddy?" My voice was a lot softer now there was no need for a firm one.

"I want the trust back? His words were still muffled but I managed to get it. I pulled him tighter and rubbed his back.

"You want it? You have to earn it." I told him and I meant it.

"I will." He cried. "You can't hit Pony like that."

"I don't have plans on hitting him. I have plans on spanking him."

Soda sniffed and wiped his eyes. "You know what I mean. With the belt use your hand or something else not a belt. Please Darry!"

"We'll see."

He cried in my shoulder a few more minutes I didn't mind I just hugged him until he stopped.

"Alright. I want you to think about this okay?"

"Yeah, I will." He responded climbing into bed.

I was about to hit the light off when he called out. "Darry" I turned around.

"Yeah little buddy?"

"I don't have your trust but I still have you love right?"

I could have died right there. "Soda don't you ever question my love for you buddy." I sat down on the edge of his bed.

"I know it's just sometimes when you lose trust you lose love too or it changes." He was referring to Sandy. I knew he still loved her but he was right it had changed.

"Trust is a privledge you have to earn it. Love isn't you'll have that rather you want it or not." I told him.

Soda grinned.

"Get some sleep, you have work in a few hours."

I turned the lights out and walked down the hallway. I felt my stomach clench. This one wasn't going to be easy. I opened the door and found Pony by his open window smoking.

I stood before him and looked at him.

"I'm really sorry Darry."

"I know but that doesn't make much of a difference right now. I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Soda. "You lied to me and you lost my trust. On top of that you've disobeyed me. I refuse to let the state have a reason to come in here and take you guys away. I make my rules not to be mean, but to keep you safe. If you don't like them at eighteen you can leave but it's a while before you are eighteen and even then I won't let you get thrown in jail. Now you need to stop acting like this. You're going to finish school and your going to start acting like my brother. The one I know not a hood. Do you understand that?"

"I understand." He replied.

"Alright then. Come here." I looked at him his green eyes met mine for a moment then quickly dropped to the floor as he walked over to me with no protest. I flipped him over and raised the belt stopping when I smacked him fourteen times. He wasn't crying not out loud at least. I let him straighten himself up and I put my foot down. I reached over to hug him but he pulled away.

"Pony." I began. He didn't answer just went to his bed and curled up.

"Hey baby." I sat beside and touched his shoulder but he shrugged me off.

"You can leave now. I get your message." His voice was starting to quiver.

"Alight just think about it okay?"

I closed the door and listened for a while. He started crying and I slowly began to wonder what message he got. I wanted to talk to him but there was no point not when he didn't want to talk to me. So I went into the kitchen to make coffee there was just no point in going to sleep for a few hours and waking up. It was a good thing Soda went in at nine today. He needed to sleep more than I did. I sat on the porch thinking about how the rest of the day was going to go then got ready for work.


	3. Chapter 3

I drove home from work barley conscious. Of course the day I get no sleep is the day for rain and the foreman seemed to have a lack of patience with an under energized staff. After dragging up two bundles up the latter every time, everything seemed to hurt more than usual. I wanted to go home and drop but I figured that wasn't going to happen. I'd come home to a messy house and three loud guys and Pony who was probably confused or pissed. I pulled into the drive way and parked wondering why I didn't pick up more caffeine. I came home to a spotless house. The guys were no where to be seen except I could hear the radio coming lightly from the kitchen. I walked in to find Soda dancing around and making dinner or whether in his case performing a science experiment.

"What are you making over there?" I asked as he dumped blue food coloring into what ever it was that was in the mixing bowl.

"It's a surprise!" Soda grinned.

"It's awfully quite in here." I commented.

Soda shrugged. "I saw Steve at work today. I told him me and Pony are grounded. So unless they really needed a place to crash for the night. Coming over here to hang out was off limits. We are still grounded right?"

"Yes, you guys have a few more days then that's over but you're going to be in by eleven every night for two weeks." I told him resting my head on my fist and letting my eye lids slide shut.

I

"DARRY!" Soda cried suddenly

I looked up at him. "Yeah?"

He shook his head. "Jeeze Darry you look like a zombie."

I felt like one too. I rubbed my temples. "Yeah."

"You know I couldn't sit on my stool at work today! Steve kept hollering at me to stop moving so much."

"Whose fault is that one little buddy?" I grinned.

"YOURS! You're the one who whacked so hard!" He was teasing me. I knew he was by the way he was grinning.

"You're asking for it again. This time I'll make sure you'll never sit."

Soda stuck his tongue out at me. "I don't like sitting anyways.

I raised my eye brow. Now he called for this one. I walked right up behind him and picked him up. "Good. That makes me feel a lot better about beating you!" I raised him and flipped him over and then dropped him bottom down on the floor pulling every muscle in my back.

"You're evil" He would have gone on but he must have seen me wince. "Are you alright?"

"Pulled a muscle that's all." I responded. "It's been a long day. This house hasn't been this clean since Mom and Dad were around." I changed the subject not wanting him to worry.

"Pony did it. Why don't you lie down? I'll call you when dinner is ready."

"That's what I'm afraid." I mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Where's your brother." I smiled at him.

Soda shrugged. "Reading."

"Alright. Don't blow the kitchen up." I l left Soda to his experiments. The bed felt better than ever I didn't even bother kicking my shoes off. I was half way asleep. When I heard the voices in the next room.

"Ponyboy Michel Curtis! What are you doing?" Soda sounded so parental like. I had to laugh.

"Leaving I'll be back by twelve. I promise." Pony replied. Damn this kid I'm going to wring his neck I thought getting out of bed.

"Ponyboy we aren't allowed. We're grounded."

"Yeah well I'll take the blame you didn't do anything. I'm leaving!"

"You're going to get in trouble. He'll want to check on you. He's found out the last couple of times and if you get picked up by the cops again you're just going to get it again or worse we'll get split up."

"I'm not asking for trouble. I'm just going to the movies with a friend from school. Tell him I went to sleep."

"Ponyboy. You aren't leaving. I'm not lying for you Pony. Darry's trust might not mean nothin' to you but it does to me. You leave this house and I'll get Darry."

"Fine." Pony said.

I went back to bed. Until I felt something on my face. The roof must have leaked. I groaned and rolled over not bothering to open my eyes until I heard laughing. Soda, damn him. I felt the water against my face and more giggling but this time I reached up and grabbed Soda by the neck. It was all fun and games nothing that would hurt him.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

"Dinner's ready! I poised yours." He grinned.

I pushed him off the bed and sat down to a very unpleasant dinner.

"Hey kiddo. You really didn't have to clean this entire house like this." I said to Pony.

He shrugged. "I didn't have anything better to do." He then pushed his plate away. "I'm finished. He got up to leave.

"Ponyboy put you're plate in the sink." I said a little harshly but I was tired and I wasn't in the mood to deal with a rebellious teenager. He put his plate in the sink and went to his room.

"He's pretty mad." I stated.

Soda stabbed at his food. "He'll get over it. I'll talk to him tomorrow. He's just so sensitive Darry. I don't know. I don't think." Soda stopped.

"Don't think I should have punished him? Well I think something needs to be done again. I'm not tolerating disrespect from him. I don't care how pissed off he is. But you on the other hand. I'm pretty proud of." I said.

Soda smiled a little. "Why?"

"The way you handled you're brother today."

"You heard that?" Soda frowned.

I nodded. "I trust you now thou."

Soda grinned. "I'll do the dishes tonight!"

I guess he didn't poison me because after dinner. I sat down to my newspaper. I must have dozed off because I woke up around one thirty and saw him half hanging off the couch asleep. I lifted on the couch and threw a blanket over him. I began to wonder if I should wake him up and tell him to go bed so he could be with Pony but I figured Pony would be alright. I turned the TV. off and went toward my room. When I saw him pacing the hall floor frantically. He was sweating and breathing like crazy.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

He started at me his chest moving up and down. Then he dashed passed me into his room saying. "I hate you."

I felt my inside shift and suddenly my heart felt like it was in my throat.

"Ponyboy. We need to talk." The knob wouldn't turn, he locked me out.


	4. Chapter 4

I searched the top of the door frame for a key. Our parents kept them up there in case one of us locked ourselves in when we were little. I slowly traced the tip of my fingers until I hit something cold; the key. I breathed a sign of relief and took it off the door frame and unlocked the door. Pony was curled up in a ball with a pillow on each side of him. I laughed a little he must have been cold or something. I pulled the covers to his chin.

"Ok kiddo, good night." I ran my fingers through his hair, not really wanting to leave him. He couldn't hate me forever, no matter what happened. I needed sleep with work in the morning. I went back to bed, only to have some strange dream.

"Darry!" It was Soda's voice. There must have been an earth quake everything was shaking.

"Darry you gottta get up for a second!" His voice sounded panicky. My eyes shot open, it wasn't a dream. I rolled over and came face to face with Soda.

"What's wrong little buddy? You sick?" I asked; reaching up to see if he had a fever. It was two am in the morning.

"No!" He smacked my hand away. "Darry there's a cop at the door. Pony sort of left; he wants to talk to you."

I cussed under my breath and pulled my jeans on; not bothering with a shirt. Great I thought showing up at the door in jeans. The cops going to think we're white trash. I walked into the living room. There stood Pony in shorts and a t shirt his hair UN greased and his face dirty with tired eyes. I felt my blood rush. I was going to strangle this kid.

"Mr. Curtis; I'm sorry for waking you. Does he belong to you?" The officer nodded toward Pony.

"Yeah. He's my brother. What happened?" I asked not taking my glance off of Pony. This is what I worked for. My baby brother was sneaking out, going to wild parties and vandalizing things. He was a damn JD. I didn't raise him for that. I remember what the last cop said. I swallowed hard. The kid I loved like crazy and this is what he does. Where the hell did my baby brother go? This kid sure wasn't him.

The cop gave an UN easy laugh. "Found him on the park bench, asleep. He told me he couldn't sleep and decided to go for a run. He also said he snuck out and you were asleep. This isn't the best neighborhood so I brought him back."

"Thank you." I said.

"Anytime, and son, the next time you can't sleep, count sheep." He let himself out and when we heard the door slam to his car Pony started.

"Dar"

I held my hand up to shut him up. "Whatever it is; I don't want to hear it at all. So, just go to bed or burn the house down; what ever you want Pony." I went in my room and sat on my bed and did something I rarely ever do. I cried. I didn't know what else to do. It had gotten too far, to fast. Pony was on a scary path and I couldn't do anything. So I cried in my hands until I fell back to sleep. I felt someone stroking my hair. Who was touching me? I opened my eyes slightly and looked at the clock it read nine o'clock.

"SHIT!" I sat straight up nearly knocking into Pony. Then I wanted to kick myself for cussing in front of him.

"No buddy." He put his hands on my shoulders and made an attempt to push me back down. "It's raining you can't roof today. Soda was going to call you off but your boss called first." Pony explained. "Go back to sleep buddy. It's okay."

He never called me buddy before I was starting to wonder why he started now but he went right back to stroking my hair. The pressed his hand against my forehead.

"Ponyboy what on" I was quickly shut up by a thermometer being shoved in my mouth. Maybe he was playing doctor. Did he still play make believe? I tried to make my mind go back to when I was fourteen. No I thought, I didn't have time to play make believe. Well make believe that I was a pro athlete. Mom liked it when we played make believe, so I figured if he wanted to, I might as well let him. Who knows maybe he could be a doctor when he grows up. I had one heck of a headache that was for sure. Pony took the thermometer out of my mouth and looked at it.

"You don't have a fever." Pony announced. He looked at my sympathetically. "What's wrong with you if you don't have a fever? Exhaustion?" He asked still stroking my hair.

So he must not have been playing doctor. The stroking my hair and calling me buddy. Suddenly things snapped. He thought I was really sick and was attempting to take care of me. I guess he got the buddy thing off of me but he had to leave the little part out.

"I'm not sick." I smiled; he must be okay with me if he was willing to take care of me. He just sat back and starred at me like he was confused.

"Then why were you bawling all night?" He asked.

Oh, where did I begin to start this conversation? I sighed and leaned against the head board. "You scared me. You know you could literally scare me to death."

He looked down for a second then looked back up. His face wasn't soft and sympathetic anymore. It was hard, like Dally's. "Well you deserved it you made me scared!" He snapped.

"I made you scared? Scared of what?" I asked. I knew it was a matter of time before we would fight.

"I DON'T KNOW YOU DID AND YOU'RE SICK PUNISHMENTS!" Pony hollered.

"I see. Well Ponyboy. You two pushed me to my wits end. I didn't exactly want to start raising my hand but I had to. You left me with no choice!"

"I'm not talking about that. I meant taking Soda away. You knew I would have nightmares! Who does that, you made him go back to his room. I'm happy I made you scared now you know how it feels!" He screamed.

"Pony, Ponyboy listen to me." I said softly. He looked at me on the verge of tears.

"Baby, I didn't take Soda away. You were only supposed to be in different rooms to think about everything. I wouldn't do that you Pony, I'm not that mean. I never want you to be scared either. Soda's been dropping off on the couch but not on purpose. Baby if you were scared you could went into his room. Or better yet you could have came and got me. Why didn't you?" I told him.

"I thought I would get in more trouble and that's the last thing I wanted. I figured you were too mad at me and you'd tell me to go back to bed." Pony sniffed. I could tell he was thinking about everything I just said.

I pulled Pony close to me and hugged him, stroking his hair. "Baby. I don't ever want you to be scared of me. No matter how mad I am it's not my job to scare you, it's my job to protect you."

"Darry?" Pony said from my chest. "I'm sorry I scared you." He sat a little bit.

"I wasn't sneaking out I know better than to sneak out with what happened the last time. I just couldn't read. I tried it before and it didn't work. I thought that if I ran. I would get tired. It worked"

"That's good to know its just damn it Pony" I was starting to tear up again. The last thing I wanted to do was be weak in front of my kid brother. I held my breathe in for a second

"All the crap you've been pulling lately. You wouldn't listen to me. Do you realize that you could have been jumped or killed? I wouldn't have known. No one would have!" I felt the tears slide down my faces.

"Darry, don't its okay." Pony put his arms around my neck and hugged me tight.

"With Soda a stern look or threatening to put the kid in his room is usually enough but when it comes time for you Pony I seem to just beat my head against the wall. You don't use your head all the time and you're so small, and young. You've got the only chance to make it out of here and you start acting like a hood. Ponyboy I felt like I was talking to Dally sometimes. You're becoming a hood, I can't deal with that. Ponyboy. I can't deal with you getting shot or stabbed. I couldn't live. You're scaring me." I started to cry hard into his hair. I couldn't even finish my words.

"I'll be good. I promise. Please don't cry Darry, I didn't mean to make you cry." He begged.

"How do I know Pony, huh?" I asked sharply.

Pony with his index finger drew a cross over his heart. Crossing your heart was something Soda and me would make him do so he wouldn't tell Mom and Dad things. Now we hadn't done this since I was twelve; but to him it was the ultimate promise. I pulled him in as tight as I could and recited the promise.

"Cross your heart and hope to die, stick a needle in your eye." I sucked air in to stop the crying.

"I'm sorry; I made you cry Darry." Pony said quietly.

"I know you are baby. It's okay."

"Have you been crying?" Soda asked as he poured himself a Pepsi as I prepared dinner.

I guess he noticed my eyes were still puffy and red from the morning. "Yeah" I said slowly.

"You alright; what happened? He said you were sick this morning, were you?" Soda asked biting down on his lip. He thought we had fought again.

"No, I wasn't sick, he heard me crying last night and figured I was. We talked this morning. I cried some more." I smiled. "he swore to me." I crossed my heart. "That he will be good."

Soda grinned. "What made you cry?"

"You two." I said slowly.

Soda stopped talking and starred at his feet. "More Pony than me, right?"

I nodded. "Come here." I extended my arm out and pulled him into a hug. "It's alright little buddy."

"You're my favorite BIG brother." Soda grinned at me.

I rolled my eyes and rubbed his hair. "Thanks."

"Hi Pony!" Soda cried as Pony walked into the room. "Haven't talked to you much lately how ya been?"

I shook my head you would think the he hadn't seen the kid in months. The night went on like usual after that, we ate dinner and they went out. I sat down to finish the rest of the bills and watched the news. I normally read the paper but the T.V is always going from the guys and I figure if it shuts things up I don't mind it, I'll read the paper but no one was here tonight so the TV was mine.

Pony and Soda came stomping in at eleven o clock. They were both grumbling about the new curfew.

"I don't want to hear it." I said and it shut them both up. Soda collapsed next to me deciding to use my lap for a pillow. I began to run my fingers through his hair. He looked worn out and deep in thought.

"Darry, what would you do if we smoked grass?" Soda asked suddenly. I starred down at him.

"I thought you were taught better than to ever do it." I tugged at his hair slightly. "I'd be extremely disappointed."

"Some kids do it. I got offered to. I said no." He told me.

"I'm proud of you."

"I wish I could say no to everything."

"What didn't you say no to?"

Soda went quite.

"He ran around the entire house fifty times" Pony blurted. "Pretty girls bat their eye lashes and that's what happens, he and Steve raced to get their numbers!" Pony laughed.

"I got their numbers, Soda said holding up his arm and reveling 3 sets of numbers.

"So what?" Pony stated.

I rubbed my eyes with my hand and laughed. "Your time will come little brother, your time will come. And I will have a full head of gray by then." I told Pony.

"You'll look funny." Soda said. Out of no where he lifted himself up and hugged me.

"What this for?" I asked as I hugged him back.

"Because I think the kids who smoked grass didn't have someone who cares. I do." Soda said

I swear this kid, just does something to you. I pulled him in tighter. Damn I loved him.

"I'm going to bed." He announced I released him so he could go to bed.

I was tired to I decided to turn in too. Soda gave another hug before he disappeared into his room. I was woken up with in an hour to the sound of screaming. I rolled off my bed, pushed off the floor and ran into the boy's room. Pony was screaming for someone to stop hurting him. He was crying and thrashing about. I hadn't seen it this bad in a really long time.

"Darry, I can't get him to wake up!" Soda cried.

I grabbed Pony by the shoulders and shook him once. His eyes shot open with terror inside. He huddled into a ball and began bawling. Soda quickly came to his aid but Pony just wouldn't stop crying.

"Come here Pony." I held him really close to me for a long time. "It's over kiddo; nothing is going to hurt now." I rubbed his back. He still wouldn't calm down.

"Hey Soda, put some coffee on and hot chocolate." I lifted Pony up he wouldn't let go for the life of me anyways. I brought him out to the living room and turned on some late night batman re runs. I sat in my chair with him on my lap and began to rock. Soda disappeared into the kitchen to go put the coffee on. This was going to be a long night.

"Calm down kid. Nothing is going to hurt you. I won't let it happen." I rocked him slowly and it was dead silent except for the TV which was turned down real low and some clattering in the kitchen.

"Darry?" Pony called.

I looked down at him. "Yeah?"

"I told you I hated you."

"Yeah, I know." I remember telling my parents I hated them but I always regretted and they knew I really didn't. I'd figure I'd hear it with Soda and Pony I just never thought it would hurt so much.

"I don't hate you." Pony stated.

"Well, that's good because I don't hate you either." I said even in my arms I could still feel him shaking like a leaf, tear paths on his cheeks were visible. "Close your eyes buddy, try to relax" I told him.

Pony put his head over my heart and shut his eyes as I rocked him back and forth. I felt my eye lids become heavy.

"I'm not going to make you cry no more." Pony said suddenly.

"I feel lousy." Soda yawned sitting on my arm rest. "Rather take the whipping again, then make you cry."

I rubbed my eyes awake. I hated the sound of whipping it made me feel more like a slave trader or something. "Let's just hope none of us have to do scenario again. Sodapop go to bed little buddy." I watched as he kept nodding off. I was waiting for him to fall face first into the floor. "Go on, Pony's fine." I pushed him off the arm chair gently to get him moving. Soda listened he walked slowly down the hall and fell asleep. As for Pony he was still shook up. We stayed there for a while, I tried to tell everything I could think of to help calm him but nothing worked.

"Come on Ponyboy, we both need sleep." I took him into the bathroom and found the bottle of sleep pills. I hated giving him these things; the last thing I wanted was for him to get some crazy addiction. I handed him two and a glass of water and watched him swallow them down. The pills worked pretty fast.

"No more crying Darry, we are both going to be good." He told me as I picked him up again.

"Alright." The pills worked pretty fast, his words were slurred and he wouldn't have been able to make it to the door. Pony rested his head on my shoulder and finally relaxed. I carried him down to the hall. I opened the door to his room and kicked a bunch of clothes out of the way.

"Darry?" Pony called from his sleep.

"Yeah?"

He lifted his head off my shoulder and opened his eyes. "I love you." Then boom, he was out like a light.

I laid him next to Soda and pulled the covers to his chin and gently ruffed his hair. "Right back at you kid." I said.


End file.
